This blog will be a journey through my quiltwork and some artwork and my life...sometimes the muse' is not active but I'll try I was a gourd artist until my hands gave out, now I thoroughly enjoy playing with fabric and paint. Enjoy most everything that nature has to offer.
Family and friends are very important. I live in the beautiful Peace River Area of northeastern BC.

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Sunday, December 27, 2015

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is just about over for another year. We had a wonderful Christmas with family.

I did find some time to sew clue #5 of Bonnie Hunter's MQ...Allietare!, you will find a link to all the clues if you click the Allieatore! button to the right. Bonnie is so giving, every year a new mystery and it is always a highlight that I look forward to.

I love these little units,they remind me of birds flying. I have made all 98, but they do need trimmed to size.

These were quite simple to make. I am not using a constant grey, and my neutrals are a bit blah compared to others. I promise in 2016 I will buy more fun neutrals.

I had really hoped for more gold with this clue, oh well perhaps the next clue our gold will get out to play.

I love looking at all the blogs and seeing how others are progressing with the mystery quilt. I am linking up to Bonnie's Monday Mystery Quilt Link Up.

Still working on UFO's...and I have a lot. I can cross one more off my list.

I started embroidering these barn blocks about 3 years ago, had started the filler blocks but never finished. I am proud to say it is now completely finished. It was a labor of love. All the barn quilts on the barns are done with the satin stitch. I had to change the flag in one block, after all I am Canadian:) Here are some pictures of it. There are 12 block in all.

Here are two more that I just finished. They were quilted on the long arm at our local quilt shop. Can you imagine they sat for about two months waiting for binding.

First up is Bonnie's Smith Mountain. I added an extra row of blocks and a piano key border to make it a large queen size.

This is a pattern from the Primitive Quilts Magazine, 'Cabin Fever" by Karen Bates.

I did wool and hand applique for the flower blocks. I also hand quilted those blocks. The rest of the quilt was done on the local quilt shops longarm.

Cat on one quilt and the dog on the other, what a pair.

I wish you all a Happy New Year! from the cold northwestern part of Canada.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

I am loving Allietore!, Bonnie Hunter's new Mystery quilt. You can find the link to the clues that have been released on the right side bar, near the top. Just click on it and it will take you to Bonnie Hunters Allietore! page.

Loved making these happy little four patches, for some reason I don't feel so hurried this year, and am managing to get my clues done by Saturday. I did cut the extra neutrals, but forgot a picture.
Here are my happy four patches, all 120 of them with a few extras.

And here is clue 1 to 3 all together, I am happy that the darker grey will work against the black. I am using several different grays.

Looking forward to Clue #4 and to LINK UP MONDAY. I love seeing everyone's progress. Here is the link for Link Up Monday. Visit all the wonderful bloggers that are doing Bonnie's MQ.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

I have finished clue #2 for Allietare! Bonnie Hunter's new Mystery Quilt. Click the button on the right hand side to read more about it.
My grey is a bit dark and looks blue in the picture, but it really is grey:) I am using various shades of grey from the stash.

And the little 2" squares are done too.

All we need now is to use some gold.

I look forward to Link Up Monday and visiting all my new friends blogs. Love blogging this time of year...summer not so much.
I am linking with Bonnie Hunter's link up Monday for the Allietare! Mystery Quilt. Have a look at what others are doing .

I am also working on a Judy Niemeyer quilt, queen size called Ballroom Dance. All from the bali stash. Just have to piece the borders now. My design wall is not larger enough :)

This is my first full size pattern of hers, and I enjoyed the process. Thanks to a wonderful teacher at one our local quilt shops. Around The Block in Beaverlodge, Alberta..about 60 miles from here. But, when you live in the north you get used to travelling for things you want .

I just realized looking at the picture that the bottom row has two blocks turned wrong...a date with Mr Ripper is in order.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

I am thrilled to be working on another Bonnie Hunter MQ. I blog more and enjoy others blogger pages. I have been quite bad at posting on my blog the last while. Medical issues, spent most of the summer waiting for the phone to ring with an appt with the cardiologist in Edmonton. All is well for now and I can settle in to what I love.
I have done four of Bonnie's mysteries and I am hooked. Here is a link to this years Mystery

I will be joining Bonnie's Link Up Monday, and look forward to visiting all the other Allietore! bloggers.

Clue #1
Here are 300, 2 " HST.

I am using Bonnie's colors, as I love them. All pulled from the stash. I had them in the stash as I was actually gathering burgundy, black and gold for another quilt...story below. Reds lean more towards burgundy, black has small dots. The grey in the HST is a Moda solid.

I used the Eight at a time method for HST, it goes so quickly and perfect little 2" hst. Love it.

And here is the foreman keeping an eye on things.

I took a class and made this quilt many years ago, neither the instructor or others were pleased with my color choices, and kept saying things hinting that it wouldn't work. But I am stubborn and stuck to my guns. Here it is. I have always loved these colors, over the past year purchased fabrics here and there that were on sale...and than along came Allietore!!

Sunday, November 1, 2015

I can not believe that I have not posted since April!!!!!!! Seems once summer is on the way I forget all about my poor little blog. I have had some achievements in the quilting field over the summer. I took a Judy Neymeir class at a certified shop not far from us, and finally understand the technique. First I made the ONE, one leaf wall hanging, then two runners that I made, one started in class. Love them both.

And a set of place mats that found a home in Vancouver.

Felling so confident that I started her Ballroom Dance, queen size.

Here are half of the corner units...as you can see I am carrying on with my scrappy addiction.

Four blocks laid out, still working on making the blocks.

Of course still carrying on with my love of everything Bonnie Hunter. The following quilt is her 'Blue Skies' done scrappy, with string blocks from a swap.

This quilt is in Kamloops, and a wonderful young man is enjoying it.

And now all ready for ALLIETORE! Bonnie's new MQ.

I have most my fabrics picked. When I think of Italy, lush red tomatoes, gorgeous burgundy grapes/wine, luscious rolling landscape with lot's of green, so will be suing green instead of grey. Hope you have enjoyed my summer/Fall work.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Spring is trying to arrive, we've had gorgeous warm days, than some wet snow...so I am still sewing! I finished two tops. Now have a lot to quilt. I have six queen size that I made this winter and my little mid arm just doesn't handle them very well. So today I'm travelling 50 miles to a local quilt store to learn to use their longarm. Hopefully all works well and I'll get the big ones quilted. The little ones I can do on mine, no problem. Here are the last two tops I finished.
First up is Judy Neymeirs pattern Summer Solstice. Sure wish I would have added some yellow to my palette.

The next finish is a log cabin from the Spring 2015 Primitive Quilting magazine. I added some extra logs to make it queen size. The applique is wool and hand stitched. This one is all from my stash, as I continue to use up stash this year.

I am also working on my first Dresden Plate. I won a box of 40 Rowan fat quarters so dipped in there to make the plates. Just winging it and don't have a pattern to follow :) Here are the Dresden plates up on the design wall

I am just working on the corner units ....I think I like it so far.

So you see a delayed spring is ok as I am getting a lot of sewing done. Now I must organize and get myself up the hiway for my quilting lesson. I am going to quilt a log cabin one today. Hope you are having a wonderful spring too :)

Sunday, March 15, 2015

It looks like spring might be on the way. We did have a skiff of snow last night but a lovely day today. I have been busy quilting Cancer charity quilts. With these four I will have finished 10 this year. The blocks are from my friends on FB the Just Us Quilters group.

I was without a computer for over a week, wow did I ever have a lot of free time. I can't believe how much time I spend scrolling around.

I have never made a Dresden plate quilt, so thought it was time I gave it a try. I have a box of Rowan Fat quarters, so have used them for the plates . 12 blocks made, now to decide on a setting for them.

I have had a great winter and finished a few and made several new tops. Now the quilting must begin.
An early Happy St Patties day to you all. Here is my Bonnie Hunter MQ..Celtic Solstice in honor of my Irish grandfather, Dinty Moore :)

Friday, February 6, 2015

We had a doozey of a winter storm yesterday, cold wind and snow -28. So far today it is overcast and cold but they keep telling us we are under a winter storm warning. Bring it on, comfy and cozy in my studio. A good time to settle in and get some projects done.
I finished the box kite block quilt. This is one of Bonnie Hunter's blocks it was in the May/June 14 Quiltmaker magazine. I am quite pleased with it. So this is my third quilt made from scrappy stash this year. I'm on a roll.

I worked hart to get the darks and medium/lights to run the opposite way. I think I succeeded. I still have a lot of 2 1/2" strips left, as I hardly made a dent in the box full.
Here is a finish too , I call it "Celestial Reflections", I did purchase some fabric for this one. The inspiration came from Van Gough's painting" Starry Night Over the Rhone"

The pattern will be available soon.

OH MY, I forgot one other important finish. I designed a quilt calledGeese in the Garden, it is on my Patterns For Sale Page. Well, as I love wool, I also did it in Wool. Here is the wool version, pattern available soon. If you are interested let me know, and I will get it written up sooner :)

Hope you are all having a wonderful sewing day :)

Thanks for stopping by, if you feel inclined I would be pleased if you left a comment.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

After the flurry of Grand Illusion and Turkey Tracks, I dug into my box of 2 1/2" strips and decided to try Bonnie Hunter's Box Kit block. Such fun. I have done a layout in EQ, and am going to put borders on today. Picture soon. Here are four blocks together. I have made 600 half square triangles for the blocks. And will be making more for the border! Love all these fun bright colors when out the window the landscape is quite white. Oh, and by the way I hardly made a dent in the box of 2 1/3" strips!

I needed some hand stitching to do. So....took my Flight of Fancy pattern and am doing it in wool. It is looking good with the stitching. Here are the pieces laid out on linen.

Our weather was above 0 for a week or more, however winter has arrived once more. A balmy -21C here this morning.

Thanks for stopping by , please leave a comment if you feel inclined :)

I am linking up to The Needle and Thread Work in progress Link up Wednesday.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Talkin Turkey is ready for quilting. It was such a fun quilt to put together, didn't make much of a dent in my stash. I will be working on that for 2015! I would really like to not buy fabric and use up what I have !!! Wish me luck.

I have never made a Dresden plate quilt. I often think of it, I have the ruler...so I think I will make it . I have been collecting some Kaffe Fassett fabrics and think they would make wonderful dresden's with a bright white background.

I did take a weekend to quilt these Cancer Charity Quilts. I belong to a Facebook group called Just Us Quilters, if we want donations for blocks for charity, we put our name on the list. Well my name came up and my mailbox was busy. Last week I delivered six to the unit, have ten more to finish. The blocks are 12" square, the quilts are 4x5 blocks, so a nice size. Here are the six being delivered. g

About Me

I guess I've been somewhat of an artist all my life, since 1999 my canvas has been Mother Nature's Gift the gourd. Five years ago I started quilting, and now I'm moving out of the box to 'art quilts' I've joined two groups, Fast Friday Fabric Challenge and the Fiber & Stitch Group, they are both offering me the challenges that I need to think 'out of the box'. I also like to make traditional quilts, you might say I've developed a real fondness for fabric.